At present, there many related information recommendation systems on the market to present information related to the webpage currently being viewed by a user. As currently used by Google® AdSense, users are able to access related information or make purchases by clicking on the links or advertisements placed within the webpage. However, such systems are not able to take the user's browsing purpose into consideration when information is to be offered. As such, systems currently available do not fully utilise information related to the users. Instances may arise where the user is unnecessarily inconvenienced with links and information totally unrelated to the current browsing purposes and needs.
An information recommendation system in which the users' preferences and habits are taken into consideration is disclosed in JP-A 2001-142907 (KOKAI). In this system, individual web visitors and their browsing time changes are tracked and identified with individual group members of certain user groups to create a user profile detailing internet usage. This profile is then used as the basis for the sending of related marketing and product information as well as for the customization of web contents. It can also be used for other promotional purposes, thereby creating an internet profiling system that supplies information more relevant to the users' browsing habits.
However, one significant drawback of this system is evident when the user is only surfing the internet with no specific purpose or objective. The system is unable to discern the users' purpose or objective. Instead, the system keeps track of a pointless surfing pattern which results in unrelated information being supplied in the future.